He Said He Could Act (1914)
John Brown, who is really black, loves Mattie White, who also is black, and he might have won her had it not been for Rastus Johnson, who has been an actor with a colored troupe. Mattie falls for the glamour of the stage and it looks to be '"good night" for John. He gets a job as a slave with a Shakespearean company and proudly announces to Mattie that he is an actor, too, with a white company, at that. More important still, he has a job and Rastus has none. The only thing that prevents complete surrender is the fact that he cannot take her to the theater and act, too. Rastus is her escort. John is disappointed in his costume. He expected more and even the addition of a spear does not help him much. On the scene his awkwardness breaks up the show, helped by some tricks that the stage hands play on him. The irritated leading man charges on John with a sword, but John beats him out of the back door. He is not quick enough, however, to outstrip a charge of bird-shot the property man sends after him, and he cannot even sit down to think over his troubles. Mattie Spurns him and the last we see of him a policeman is sending him home in a barrel to cover his scanty wardrobe.
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International
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| Filmmakers | Role |
|---|---|
| Arthur Hotaling | Director |
| E.W. Sargent | Writer |
| Siegmund Lubin | Producer |
| Cast | Role |
|---|---|
| John Edwards | |
| Mattie Edwards | |
| Luke Scott | |
| Raymond McKee |
